mockfilmreviews

So many of life's lessons can be attributed to children's literature. Authors from Dr. Seuss to Shel Silverstein shaped the way young minds perceived the world and prepared them for what lie ahead. Welcome To Happiness, the debut film from writer/director Oliver Thompson, spins a fanatical tale in a similar vein. Aimed at the grown-ups we've ripened into, this clever comedy draws upon the "whys" we inevitably ask ourselves as we press on through to adulthood.

Dropping the viewer directly into the world he built, Thomson keeps a close rein on the goings on and rules set forth by his script, only answering so much before adding on more mysteries. The opening scene sets the tone of the film, quirky and playful yet not lacking real raw emotion...

Goodnight Mommy has been on my radar fro quite some time. Enthralled by the trailer, I went so far as to post it on the site. Now out for rental and streaming, I finally sat down and experience the film for myself. Be advised. It's a rough one (Like, sit in "silence for a moment after" rough).

Goodnight Mommy is a German/Austrian thriller revolving around precocious twin boys Lukas and Elias who live with their Mutter (Mother in German. You learned something new today.), a television hostess who has just returned to their isolated country home after getting plastic surgery. With her face wrapped in bandages and her demeanor a bit out of sorts, the boy begin to questing whether the woman in their home is actually their mother.

Already an innovative concept, Goodnight Mommy takes it's time with with the story, allowing for questions and character plots to linger and build. Being known for spoiling a few plots through spotting early clues, I had an inkling of where this was headed. But even with my gut instincts at play, other theories were conjured as the film crescendos on. I won't tell you if I was right or wrong, but I will say I was completely satisfied with the panic inducing finale.

Nostalgia projects have become a hot commodity in today's filming ventures. With successful crowd funded projects such as Kung Fury bubbling our childhood memories back to into our consciousness, it is inevitable that more of these films are going to be made. With that, Turbo Kid seems ripe for this niche genre.

A new indie offering from the Great White North, Turbo Kid takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where strange characters rule the landscape in search of water and supplies. The Kid (played by Munro Chambers) is a teenager who has spent a good deal of his life alone in this barren wasteland. Keeping to himself and scavenging for items to trade, not to mention adding to his collection toys and memorabilia such as View Masters, Turbo Man comics and near fossilized chewing gum. Keeping to himself, he lives in a kid-like mindset until meeting an eccentric pixie- dream girl named Apple (played with a sweet wide-eyed innocence by Laurence Leboeuf).

Things seem to be going well for the two until they run-a-foul of Zeus (Micheal Ironside doing what he does best), the leader of a ruthless gang of evil-doers who take joy in processing their victims into drinkable water. Taken by surprise, Apple is kidnapped as Kid is forced to seek refuge in an old aircraft which holds the remains of the actual Turbo Man, the real-life hero of his comics. Dawning his idol's uniform, as well as his Power Glove Laser Cannon (which turns its victims into a raining mist of goop), Kid goes on to face Zues' gang and rescue his friend. With the help of a fellow captive, an arm wrestling cowboy named Frederic, the three escape the clutches of Zeus' gang only to have to face them in a final blood-soaked showdown.

Trying not to be too spoiler heavy, I've decided to stop there. The story is the typical heroes' journey, so I'm not telling you anything new here. Instead, let's get into the meat and potatoes of this interesting little flick. Presented almost as a kid's adventure one might see in 80's Hollywood fair, Turbo Kid takes a few of the more beloved tropes and puts a gory tongue-in-cheek spin on them. Not pulling any punches, this movie isn't shy about getting bloody with a plethora of practical and digital effects. Don't be mistaken, this is a nostalgic kid's flick for the adults. A spoof in many respects, but without being completely overt about it.—